Anew hardline Sinhalese Buddhist group in Sri Lanka has called for the abolition of the Muslim halal system of certifying foods and other goods.The Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Strength Force, also said foreign propagators of religions should leave the country within a month.

Thousands of supporters of the group attended a rally in a suburb of the capital, Colombo.

The calls come at a time of mounting religious tension in the country.

There have been several attacks on both mosques and Muslim-owned businesses as well as on Christian churches and the clergy, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Colombo.

'Unofficial police'

Thousands of men and women filled the grounds of the rally and the surrounding streets at Maharagama in Colombo's outer suburbs to hear nationalist speeches by the group's monks.

The leaders called for a boycott of halal meat and demanded shops clear their stocks by April, the AFP news agency reports.

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